Catamounts

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Michigan State outscored Vermont 16-2 on the fastbreak and held the Catamounts' offense to a season-low 31.4 percent. "We kept pounding them like in a prize fight," Michigan State forward Maurice Ager said. "And they buckled." The Spartans ended the 13th-seeded Catamounts' enchanted stay in the NCAA Tournament with a 72-61 second-round victory in the Austin Regional Sunday before 13,008 at the DCU Center. "They were going faster," Vermont Coach Tom Brennan said. "They were going harder.

One horrific inning in the field and a bunch of frustrating innings on offense summed up Elon University's 11-9 loss to Western Carolina in Southern Conference baseball Sunday night at Latham Park. With four conference games remaining, the setback means Elon (27-23 overall, 16-10 Southern Conference) can't repeat as outright regular-season champion and leaves only a slim possibility of sharing a title if it wins out. The first order of business would be avoiding a series sweep this afternoon.

WORCESTER, Mass. -- As T.J. Sorrentine's 3-point shot fell through the net in overtime Friday night, it's quite possible the roar emanating from the DCU Center could be heard all the way to Burlington. Vermont Coach Tom Brennan, who went into the evening contemplating the end of his career, wasn't sure he would survive the excitement. "When that went in, I thought I may burst," Brennan said. "I thought you might find me in pieces around the arena. There's nothing in the world that is that feeling.

A two-hour drive is a little more enjoyable when you've made school history. Panther Creek's girls lacrosse team hit I-40 West heading for home on Friday after winning the first playoff game in school history with a 17-11 win at Winston Salem's R.J. Reynolds. PC coach Pete DeStaebler said he could see the nerves affecting many of his players when they stepped off the bus and onto the field. The score was 5-5 at halftime. But the second half was all Catamounts as they settled in and found a groove.

SALT LAKE CITY -- It took the Vermont Catamounts 103 years to get here, so what was another 42 hours? A lot. "We spent two days in the biggest snowstorm in the history of Denver," Catamounts Coach Tom Brennan said Thursday. "Who knew that it would be the calm before the storm." Handed one of the most unlucky hands dealt a first-time NCAA entrant, Vermont got stuck with the worst weather imaginable en route from Burlington and then had to battle Hurricane Arizona. The result was predictable.

Florida State coach Mike Martin's favorite team, a once-beleaguered unit of station-to-station hitters and uncertain pitchers, Sunday proved the reason for their place in Martin's heart.The Seminoles cut an unprecedented spot in the school record book by beating Western Carolina, 18-3, before 3,724 fans at Dick Howser Stadium, winning the South II Regional and a berth in this week's eight-team College World Series.It is the Seminoles' second trip in a row to the CWS in Omaha, Neb., and fifth in seven years, but it also is one of their most unlikely.

SOUTH CAROLINA, sparked by Anthony Smith's 145-yard rushing performance and Sterling Sharpe's three touchdowns, overpowered visiting Western Carolina. The teams played on even terms for the first half, which ended with the Gamecocks leading, 21-17. But the Gamecocks (1-2) held the Division I-AA Catamounts (0-2) to 5 yards net rushing in the game and dominated the second half.

You have to admire the Western Carolina Catamounts, a Division I-AA school which plays powerful Florida State Saturday. The Catamounts (3-5-1) are building respect through sincerity.They don't sugarcoat their reason for playing teams such as FSU, for agreeing to play the role of the patsy on FSU's homecoming day. The challenge of playing a Division I-A team or the desire to build a stronger program has nothing to do with why the Catamounts are coming out of the mountains to play a stronger opponent.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Wayne Simien had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 1 Kansas (1-0) pulled away in the final two minutes to avoid a stunning upset and beat Vermont (0-1) 68-61. The Jayhawks, who haven't started a season No. 1 since 1956-57, trailed the underdog Catamounts 58-54 when Taylor Coppenrath hit a short jumper with 4:24 left. Coppenrath, whose 24.1 average last season helped propel the Catamounts to their second straight NCAA tournament, had just six points in the first half but finished with 23 points and seven rebounds.

A two-hour drive is a little more enjoyable when you've made school history. Panther Creek's girls lacrosse team hit I-40 West heading for home on Friday after winning the first playoff game in school history with a 17-11 win at Winston Salem's R.J. Reynolds. PC coach Pete DeStaebler said he could see the nerves affecting many of his players when they stepped off the bus and onto the field. The score was 5-5 at halftime. But the second half was all Catamounts as they settled in and found a groove.

TALLAHASSEE -- The play lasted only a few seconds and yet it encapsulated why Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher named Christian Ponder the Seminoles' starting quarterback instead of Drew Weatherford or D'Vontrey Richardson. With less than two minutes remaining in the first half on Saturday night in an eventual 69-0 Florida State rout of Western Carolina, Ponder found himself under pressure. The Catamounts defense had forced him from the pocket, and the redshirt sophomore, starting his first game, needed to make something happen.

TAMPA -- So the Florida Gators can dominate inferior opponents away from the O'Connell Center, too. Freshman guard Nick Calathes scored 21 points and center Marreese Speights posted 17 points and seven rebounds across the bay from his hometown of St. Petersburg, as the Gators wiped undersized and overwhelmed Vermont from the St. Pete Times Forum floor in an 86-61 victory before 12,908. Point guard Jai Lucas, one of Calathes' freshman classmates, added 15 points and seven assists in the first game outside the confines of Gainesville for the two-time defending national champs.

Up in Cullowhee, N.C., where the Western Carolina Catamounts have prepared for the spanking they're almost sure to endure Saturday, enthusiasm is hard to find. "Put it this way," WCU Athletic Director Chip Smith said. "If our season could have ended with Appalachian State, our biggest rival, that would be great for us." But there's one more game to play after the Catamounts' 31-9 loss to App. St. last weekend. WCU, loser of eight straight games, comes to Florida Field this weekend with little hope of competing with the Gators.

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Michigan State outscored Vermont 16-2 on the fastbreak and held the Catamounts' offense to a season-low 31.4 percent. "We kept pounding them like in a prize fight," Michigan State forward Maurice Ager said. "And they buckled." The Spartans ended the 13th-seeded Catamounts' enchanted stay in the NCAA Tournament with a 72-61 second-round victory in the Austin Regional Sunday before 13,008 at the DCU Center. "They were going faster," Vermont Coach Tom Brennan said. "They were going harder.

WORCESTER, Mass. -- As T.J. Sorrentine's 3-point shot fell through the net in overtime Friday night, it's quite possible the roar emanating from the DCU Center could be heard all the way to Burlington. Vermont Coach Tom Brennan, who went into the evening contemplating the end of his career, wasn't sure he would survive the excitement. "When that went in, I thought I may burst," Brennan said. "I thought you might find me in pieces around the arena. There's nothing in the world that is that feeling.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Wayne Simien had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and No. 1 Kansas (1-0) pulled away in the final two minutes to avoid a stunning upset and beat Vermont (0-1) 68-61. The Jayhawks, who haven't started a season No. 1 since 1956-57, trailed the underdog Catamounts 58-54 when Taylor Coppenrath hit a short jumper with 4:24 left. Coppenrath, whose 24.1 average last season helped propel the Catamounts to their second straight NCAA tournament, had just six points in the first half but finished with 23 points and seven rebounds.

TAMPA -- So the Florida Gators can dominate inferior opponents away from the O'Connell Center, too. Freshman guard Nick Calathes scored 21 points and center Marreese Speights posted 17 points and seven rebounds across the bay from his hometown of St. Petersburg, as the Gators wiped undersized and overwhelmed Vermont from the St. Pete Times Forum floor in an 86-61 victory before 12,908. Point guard Jai Lucas, one of Calathes' freshman classmates, added 15 points and seven assists in the first game outside the confines of Gainesville for the two-time defending national champs.

TALLAHASSEE -- One week remains until the Florida State men's basketball team plays its first game against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. Six games into the season one thing is clear: The Seminoles have some work to do before they're ready to face a foe from the ultra-competitive ACC. On Saturday, the Seminoles lost 79-69 on their home court to the Western Carolina Catamounts, a team that won a grand total of six games last season and had lost...

SALT LAKE CITY -- It took the Vermont Catamounts 103 years to get here, so what was another 42 hours? A lot. "We spent two days in the biggest snowstorm in the history of Denver," Catamounts Coach Tom Brennan said Thursday. "Who knew that it would be the calm before the storm." Handed one of the most unlucky hands dealt a first-time NCAA entrant, Vermont got stuck with the worst weather imaginable en route from Burlington and then had to battle Hurricane Arizona. The result was predictable.

TALLAHASSEE -- One week remains until the Florida State men's basketball team plays its first game against an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent. Six games into the season one thing is clear: The Seminoles have some work to do before they're ready to face a foe from the ultra-competitive ACC. On Saturday, the Seminoles lost 79-69 on their home court to the Western Carolina Catamounts, a team that won a grand total of six games last season and had lost...